Agricultural dry chemical underground applicator tool combination

ABSTRACT

An Agricultural Tool and dry granular chemical Applicator Combination comprising a horizontally underground moveable 1/2 rhombus blade adapted on such movement for forming a momentary underground air-vacuum-like pocket for gravity receiving granular dry chemical particles into that vacuum-like pocket and for thereby effecting distribution of said chemicals throughout that pocket.

Inventor: Roy I. Hawkins, Pierce, Colo. [73] Assignee: Hawkins Mfg.Inc., Pierce, C010. [22] Filed: July 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 268,638

1521 US. Cl. 111/85 [51] Int. Cl. A0lc 5/00 [58] Field of Search; Ill/7,85, 86

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 363,602 5/1887 CraneIll/86 2,242,426 5/l94l Gregory 172/156 COMBINATION United States Patent1 1 1111 3,815,528 Hawkins w June 11, 1974 [54] AGRICULTURAL DRYCHEMICAL 2,598,121 5/1952 Hannibal 111/7 2.834.446 5/1958 Wade Ill/86 xUNDERGROUND APPLICATOR TOOL 311571139 ll/l964 Spindler 111/1 PrimaryExaminer-Stephen C. Pellegrino Attorney, Agent, or Firm-'Wilbur A. E.Mitchell [5 7] ABSTRACT An Agricultural Tool and dry granularchemicallichemical particles into that vacuum-like pocket and for therebyeffecting distribution of said chemicals throughoutthat pocket.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1" AGRICULTURAL DRY CHEMICAL UNDERGROUND'APPLICATOR TOOL COMBINATION The present invention relatesto'agricultural ground implement tools, and with reference tothat typewhere a dry granular orsimilar chemical particles are applied incooperation with an implement. More particularly, where such animplement is a /2 rhombus blade and which is dragged through the grounda few inches below the surface of the ground, and where such blade doesnot make an open furrow or ditch, but, instead, makes a momentaryunderground pocket or airvacuum space, due to its positioning and /2rhombuslike configuration, as the blade is drawn forwardly through theground.

I have adopted a unique underground V-shaped or /2 rhomboid plow blade,both vertical and horizontal, to be drawn forwardly through the groundusually between rows of growing crop, and designed to form such anunderground pocket or air-vacuum space momentarily, asit is drawnforwardly a few inches below the surface. That airvacuum undergroundpocket is completely earth enclosed, meaning, my blade does not form anopen ditch but forms a small underground space or pocket immediatelyunder thatplow-blade.

It is, therefore, the principle object ofthis invention to provide sucha ,V-shaped /2 rhomboid cultivator Plow-Blade, adapted to be drawnforwardly a few inches under the surfaceof the ground, so as to form amomentary underground pocket or air-vacuumspace under that blade, as itis drawn forwardly through the ground, in combination with a gravityfeed dry chemical discharging within that space under that blade.

Another object is to provide a gravity chemical conduit means positionedand adapted to permit fineparticles or granulars of a dry Chemical to begravity fed downwardly for discharge 'under that blade into thatmomentarily formed air-pocket or vacuum space, as that V: rhomboidimplement is drawn forwardly through the ground.

A further object of this invention is to provide such an under-surfacenon-furrow forming /2 rhomboid wedge shape cultivator plow blade, forforming such an underground momentary 'pocket air-vacuum spacethereunder, as the implement is drawn horizontally through the groundbelow the surface thereof, and which vacuum air-pocket vacuum space actsas a means for evenly effecting distribution of the dry chemical feedfalling intothat space by gravity and throughout that momentarillyformed air-vacuum pocket cal carrying bar therefor; and

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged perspective view of my novel k rhomboidcutter blade, showing itsunderside and showing the gravity fed drychemical pipe terminating thereunder.

Referring to the drawings, 'itwill be understood that a tractor, thoughnot shown, hasan adjustable vertical rigid carrying arm, which ispartially shown as 10. I ad'- just ably mount my improved applicatorattachment combination pivotally onto the lower end of that arm 10, on apivot bolt 11, as shown in FIG. 1.

l provide a rigid horizontal frame carrying bar 14 and secure a pair ofupstanding parallel spaced plates 12 thereto and formed as shown.Parallel identical arcuate openings 13 are provided in the upper portionof each parallel plate 12, and a locking bolt'22 is extended slidablytherethrough and also through the carrying arm 10. That carrying arm 10,of the tractor, has a-lower end pivot bolt 11, extending throughopenings 13 and between said parallel guide plates 12. When lock-bolt 22is loosened then the entire mechanism carried by 10 can be pivoted onpivot 11 and then reset onll, by a tightening of that lock bolt 22vvhenthe desired angle for the use of the attachment and its plow blade20 is reached, with relation to the carrying arm I0, asmay be desiredfrom time to time.

The carrying bar 14 .has 3' pipe cylindrical vertical holding collars15, and 52, as illustrated. Each of those collars has suitableperipheral locking screwbolts, for holding a post slidably insertedwithin the collar, in any telescopic position of the post therein and toand by the collar, as at 16 and 17 of collar 15, 50 and 51 of collar 35and 53 and 54 of collar 52.

My novel underground dry chemical cultivator and applicator, in thisembodiment, consists of a novel V- shaped or wedge type horizontallypointed' /z rhomboid plow-blade 20, of the shape and configurationshown. That blade 20 has a slight elevational rearwardly raising apexridge 20a, centrally and rearwardly from its point 20b. There are flaredsides 206 of 20 which have their lower edges 20d extendinghorizontallybelow the plane of ridge 20a. It will be noted, in FIGS. 2,3 and 4, that during use,'as the tractor forces that blade 20horizontally forwardly under the surface of the ground with point 20aforemost or to the left, as illustrated No open ditch or furrow isformed by that blade .as it is drawn 5 forwardly a few inches under theground surface, but a unique different result occurs. Namely, that lrhomboid wedge plow 20, by its raised ridge central portion 20a, forms aspace S, under that centralportion of 20 and above the horizontal underedge extended plane line of the flared parallel side edges of blade 20,to be momentarily formed as-an air-vacuum pocket or space under thatblade and under the surface of the ground, as the blade 20 is movedforwardly or in the direction of the point 20b.of the blade, asillustrated. That so formed vacuum in that space S formation is amomentary one so formed during such use, and which I have perfected asthe means for causing a complete spreading of the dry chemical, gravityfeeding down through my feed pipe 30, as will be explained, under thatplow blade 20.

The dry chemicals are fed from a, suitable elevated supply container bya conduit therefrom connected with the vertical gravity feed pipe 30,which is attached adjacent to and onto the vertical supporting post 18.Support post 18 is fixedly secured near the center. of

the upper extended ridge a portion of the plow-blade 20, as illustrated,and the plow 20 is carried by the post 18. Post 18 is of a size to fitslidably within collar 15, and is conventionally adjustably held by thelatter upon tightly securing of the stud-screw-bolts l7, and theirlock-nuts 16. Lock nuts'l6 are provided on the screwbolt 17, forconventionally securing the latter firmly in place, once I7is seated asdesired. The gravity feed pipe is flattened at 30'. A round L-shaped bar31 is secured to the lower end of 30', to extend as shown. The feed pipeflattened extension 30' is secured to the post 18 and in a position tobe behind it, as the attachment is moved forwardly through the ground,being to the left as illustrated in FIG. I. 30 is open atits lower end32. The round reverse L-shaped chemical divider bar 31 has its upper legsecured to the lower portion of 30' and so that its right angular legextends horizontally forwardly or to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, andwith that right angular leg in alignment directly below and spaced ashort distance from the opening 32 of the pipe 30', as shown. It willthus be seen that the dry chemical falls by gravity down the pipe 3030'and fallsonto that right angular horizontal leg of the bar 31, and thatsaid bar then acts to cause the quantity of chemical to fall to eachside thereof and within the space S under the blade 20. It will thus beseen that the air-pocket or vacuum space S resultant suction, formedduring the blade 20 underground movement operation, or to the left asillustrated, in such operation, effects a forward and horizontalspreading of the dry chemical form open end 32 of the discharge pipe 30throughout that underground horizontal momentary air-pocket space S,under blade 20. i

It is to be understood that, though not shown, the holding post 18,"instead of being solid could be hollow and the chemical feed into thatas the feeder pipe for the gravity falling of the dry chemicaltherethrough into the upper substantial central portion of the blade 20,instead of having the separate chemical gravity feed tube 30-30' asshown.

My underground cultivator blade 20 does not form an open trench, as itis pulled forwardly about 4 to 6 inches below the surface of the ground,by the tractor, or to the left as illustrated in FIG. 1, but forms thementioned underground enclosed vacuum space S and in such formation theground is only slightly loosened. To reasonably restore the ground toits original packed condition, I provide a pair of soil gathering ridgeblades, 40, to form a slight row-hill, in line immediately behind wherethe vertical carrying post 18 went through the ground, in preparationfor my packer sled sliding thereon, as illustrated in FIG. 1. I providea round vertical slidable carrying arm 36, adjustably held within thecollar 35 by lock-bolts 51 and their respectivelocking nuts A cross bar37 is rigidly secured horizontally as an inverted T at the lower end ofthe vertical bar 36. I pivotally secure a right angular pivotallyadjustable bar 38, at each outer end of horizontal bar 37, by means oflocking pivot-bolts 39, as shown. At the lower end of each angle bar 38I have another locking pivoted bolt 41 and by which I secure verticalridge blades, 40, as shown, in desired position. There are a pair of thesurface soil gathering'ridge blades 40 and of similar structure foreach, as illustrated.

To the rear end of the horizontal carrying bar 14, through a collar-52at that end provided as shown, I vertically adjustably slidably positiona rigid bar 55; At

4 the lower end of 55 I secure a packer sled 61, as by a suitablepivoting arrangement shown, 'by a fixedly mounted vertical rigid strap56 to the lower end of 55. At the one end of 56 a. slot 59 is formed.The sled 61 has a vertical rib S7. The rib 57 is suitably pivoted at 58to the other end of 56 from slot 59. An adjustable locking slide-bolt 60is inserted with its conventional head outwardly of the slot 59 at oneof its ends and a locking nut on the other side of 57, not shown, aswill be understood. When that locking bolt and nut 60 is released thehorizontal plane of the underside of sled 61 can be pivoted on its pivot58, within the limit of the slot 59 of the strap 56, to determine theangle to the horizontal of the plane of the lower surface of sled 61,and then the lock-nut of 60 is lock-set when the angle desired isreached. Thus, it will be seen that by raising or lowering of thecarrying bar 55 in the collar 52, by adjustment of the lock-nuts 54, theamount of pressure to be applied by the under surface of sled 61 uponthe earth ridge, formed by the soil gathering ridge bars 40 in front ofsled 61, can be adjusted, as desired, in any given angular positions ofcarrying bar 14 with relation to tractor carrying arm 10, on pivot point11.

The elevational view of my combined tools, as shown in FIG. I, will beunderstood to illustrate the parts thereof as displayed at the dealer'sor with the blade 20,

the soil gathering members 40 and the soil packer sled 61, all restingon one surface, as a floor. Whereas, in actual use, it will beunderstood that the blade 20 is positioned to be drawn through the soila few inches below the surface of the soil, as diagramaticallyillustrated in FIG. 1, with the dotted line G indicative of the surfaceof the soil with relation to that blade and to the soil gatherers 40. Itwill be further understood that, in actual use, the packer .sled 61 isnot in the same horizontal plane with the blade 20, as shown in FIG. 1,but, instead, its holding post 55 is raised sufficiently, within thecollar-52, so that in use the sled portion 61 is substantially restingon that ground surface line G, to thereby pack any loosened ground onwhich it is pulled, as will be understood.

Having thus shown and explained a preferred embodiment of my invention,and since many changes can be made therein within the teaching thereof,I wish to be bound only by the hereunto appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by letter patent is:

I. In an agricultural chemical underground applicator tool having aframe adapted to be adjustably mounted on a tractor, a wedge-shapedblade means of k rhombus shape in a horizontal plane and having aforward point, rearwardly and outwardly diverging bottom edges and acenter ridge extending rearwardly and upwardly from said forward point,said blade means being carried by an elongated support post on the framefor forward movement completely under the surface of the ground suchthat said blade means will create an open space under the ground and amomentary vacuum in said open space, said supportpost being ofsufficiently narrow width so as not to form an open trench, supply meanssecured to said blade means for directing a supply of granular chemicalinto said open space as said vacuum is formed therein, divider meanspositioned beneath said supply means and within said open space todisperse granular chemical from said supply means into said open space,whereby the momentary vacuum formed in said open space serves to furtherdisperse the granular chemical therein, means I bus shape in a verticalplane.

3. The applicator tool of claim 1 wherein said supply means is a gravityfeed tube having its outlet positioned substantially at the mid-portionof said blade means.

4. The applicator tool of claim 3 wherein said divider means comprisesadivider bar extending longitudinally under said feed tube outlet.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKIE CERT! FICATE 0F (10 RRWI'IH'W .Tnnv '11 '1W4 lnu-nt. NH. 315, 52m M Dntml Roy I Hawkins Invent0r(s) It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1 7 line 23 "airvacuum" should read air-vacuum line 51"momentarilly" should read momentarily line 61, "persective" should readperspective Column 3,

line 30, "form'hshould read from Signed and sealed this 1st day ofOctober 1974,

(SEAL) Attest: I

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. 0. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents FORM P0- USCOMM-DC 80376-F'69 u s sovsmmzm' PRINTING OFFICE 93 o

1. In an agricultural chemical underground applicator tool having aframe adapted to be adjustably mounted on a tractor, a wedge-shapedblade means of 1/2 rhombus shape in a horizontal plane and having aforward point, rearwardly and outwardly diverging bottom edges and acenter ridge extending rearwardly and upwardly from said forward point,said blade means being carried by an elongated support post on the framefor forward movement completely under the surface of the ground suchthat said blade means will create an open space under the ground and amomentary vacuum in said open space, said support post being ofsufficiently narrow width so as not to form an open trench, supply meanssecured to said blade means for directing a supply of granular chemicalinto said open space as said vacuum is formed therein, divider meanspositioned beneath said supply means and within said open space todisperse granular chemical from said supply means into said open space,whereby the momentary vacuum formed in said open space serves to furtherdisperse the granular chemical therein, means mounted on the framerearwardly of said blade means for gathering soil on the ground surfacebehind said blade means, and means mounted on the frame rearwardly ofsaid soil gathering means to compress the soil gathered by said soilgathering means.
 2. The applicator tool of claim 1 wherein said blademeans, rearwardly of said forward point, is of 1/2 rhombus shape in avertical plane.
 3. The applicator tool of claim 1 wherein said supplymeans is a gravity feed tube having its outlet positioned substantiallyat the mid-portion of said blade means.
 4. The applicator tool of claim3 wherein said divider means comprises a divider bar extendinglongitudinally under said feed tube outlet.